Caring for Bandit Glass Pieces

With over 20 years of personal experience in handling glass, there is nothing worse that handling a dirty piece, whether it is a hand pipe, a dab rig, water pipe, or something else.  I have come to appreciate the American curated products that are available, and I want to taste that.  If my piece is dirty, it takes away from the experience for me.  Perhaps it is just anxiety over a small thing, regardless, there are a few different methods to keeping your functional glass pieces squeaky clean that I will highlight here. 

Dunk tank -

If you prefer concentrate, you are probably familiar with this method of keeping your bangers and terp pearls clean.  There are several different options on the market, from large mason jars to snap lid containers with straining baskets.  Shop according to your need.  If you are cycling 2 or more bangers, you may want something with more volume. Fill with 99% Isopropyl Alcohol.  You can purchase in bulk on Amazon or shop locally for smaller amounts.

Dark Crystal Glass Cleaner -

This product does come at a higher price tag, but I will say that it is unique.  Use this product sparingly after applying a little bit of heat (do not torch!).  I have not tried yet, but the product manufacture claims that it is reusable once strained.  This product works similarly to 420 cleaner or similar products without the harsh abrasives, and leaves beautiful results.

Rock Salts and Alcohol -

If you have a particularly dirty piece, it may require a good abrasive mixture to break up residue.  I like this method for hand pipes and small pieces like flower bowls for water pipes and glass screens.  Take a sandwich ziplock and put it in a quart sized zip lock.  place the piece to be cleaned inside of both bags. Add about 2 tablespoons of rock salt (epsom salt) to the inside of the piece and in the bag with it.  Add enough alcohol to wet all of the salt plus a but, but not enough to submerge the piece.  Close both bags and shake vigorously for about 5 minutes.  I recommend keeping the seams of the bag up, because sometimes they will leak, even if double bagged.  Make sure to work the salt into the piece.  After shaking, I like to agitate the surface with something.  Usually a cotton swab will work, but longer pieces I use a pipe cleaner for.  You can purchase them at the dollar store.  Dunk it back in the bag if you need to soften up the more stubborn stuff.  Rinse thoroughly with hot water to remove any salt residue.   

Alcohol Pads -

If you carry a mobile dab rig, or just want to freshen your banger between sesh-es, single use alcohol pads are available.